Harley Ross Jordan

Harley Ross Jordan NORTHFIELD — Harley Ross Jordan, who died April 30, 2019, at Central Vermont Medical Center in Berlin, was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, on Nov. 9, 1923. Most of his childhood, he lived in Wichita, Kansas. He joined the U.S. Coast Guard immediately after Pearl Harbor and served for over five years. Three of those years, he spent aboard the USS Joseph T. Dickman where he participated in the amphibious assaults on the shores of Africa, Sicily, Italy, Normandy, southern France and Okinawa. After being honorably discharged from the Coast Guard in 1947, he attended college, graduating in 1951 from the University of Denver with a BS degree in Physics. He was employed by the U.S. Navy for the next 28 years, the last 11 being in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OP96) in the Pentagon. While employed by the Navy, he attended graduate schools part time earning his M.Ph. and Ph.D. in Mathematical Statistics from George Washington University. In 1979, Harley retired from his position with the Navy and accepted a position teaching Mathematics at Norwich University in Northfield. He retired from this position in 1988. He was predeceased in 2004 by his beloved wife, Mary Elizabeth Coleman, whom he had married in Stuart, Florida, in 1956. He was also predeceased by both of his brothers and his sister, Roy Elton, Donald Edwin and Betty Emerson, of Ponca City, Oklahoma. He is survived by his many nephews, nieces, grandnephews and -nieces. Harley had been a very active Rotarian having served in various offices and committees of his club, district and zone. At Harley's request, there will be no funeral or memorial service, though there is a celebration, open to all who wish to attend, at the Rustic Restaurant in Northfield Falls at 1 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2019. Contributions in his memory may be sent to the Rotary Club of Northfield. Kingston Funeral Home in Northfield assisted with the arrangements.

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When Harley would come down to the Rustic for dinner I would jump up and salute letting him know everyone was present and accounted for! I would then state...It's good to see you Sir! He would always reply, "It's good to be seen!" On his 91st birthday as he ate I asked him why he didn't add any salt to his burger. He replied, "Because 92 is looking pretty good right now!" As our next door neighbor my son Matthew and I would often ensure his walkway was cleared of snow and keep the leaves up in the yard. What an amazing man. Present at all five major amphibious assaults during WWII. My...what he must have seen. Take care my friend.

I got to know both Harley & his wife Mary first through church. The two of them in the back pew, Mary always with her word puzzle books & a pencil; Harley often serving as the reader on many Sunday mornings.

When Mary passed, Harley opened the door to his home for a group of community members (myself included) where we would meet weekly around his dining room table to talk about Bible readings, current events, and life in general.

Our friendship continued - often greeting one another with a smile & a hug when my husband & I stopped in at the Rustic for dinner.

He will be dearly missed - and remembered. I picture him together again with Mary whom he never stopped loving.

Professor Jordan wonderfully guided me and many fellow non-math majors at Norwich University through math courses required to satisfy the University’s general education requirements. If our silly and basic questions ever bothered so skilled a mathematician, he never showed it. My memories of him are memories of a warm and friendly professor who patiently ensured that every student in the room was engaged and made progress from the first day of class to the last. Well done, Professor Jordan. Bless you.Marty HanifinClass of 1986

was lucky enough to meet Harley not long before his passing (April 12) I sold him a vehicle. In the brief time I sat with him I heard some pretty amusing stories about his enlistment in the US Navy for WWII and his time in Hawaii.The guy lived a pretty amazing life.Thank you for your Service to our Country and thank you for the brief time I got to know you.

I knew Harley from our many years at Wedgewood Fitness Club. He was always a pleasure to talk to with a vast knowledge on many things yet never boastful. His commitment and love for this country was ever apparent and he was a true gentleman. It was a great honor and privilege to know him. Rest in peace kind man.

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